Bimol slams Centre's failure to open highways
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 20 2025: Lok Sabha Member Dr Bimol Akoijam has slammed the Central Government's failure to ensure free movement on National Highways and facilitate the return of IDPs to their homes even after imposing President's Rule in Manipur for over two months.

Speaking to media persons at his Keishamthong residence today, the Congress MP remarked that when there was an elected Government in the State the Central Government and the State Government were blaming each other for their failure to send back the IDPs to their homes and ensure free movement on National Highways.

Bimol slams Centre's failure to open highways

Now there is President's Rule in the State which means the Central Government is in complete control of the State administration.

As such, the Central Government ought to take up effective measures to restore peace, resettle IDPs at their native places and ensure free movement on National Highways, Dr Bimol said.

People feel that there is some semblance of peace in the State following the imposition of PR but people still need to remain alert.

Free movement is still not possible, he said.

Soon after PR was imposed in the State, the Central Government promised that there would be free movement on National Highways but the same promise has proved to be a humiliating failure, he remarked.

National Highways are National properties and the Centre's failure to remove blockades and disturbances from National Highways is a very serious issue of governance, he said.

Preventing Meiteis from taking annual pilgrimage to Koubru and Thangjing hill is another serious issue of fundamental rights and governance, he continued.

In so far as IDPs cannot go back to their homes and live peacefully with a sense of security, it would be wrong to say that peace has returned to Manipur, he added.

There is a monitoring committee to monitor utilisation of funds sanctioned for Central sponsored schemes.

There is also District Level Development and Monitoring Committee (DISHA Committee) .

"Being a Lok Sabha Member, I'm the chairman of DISHA Committee.

During review meetings held recently, it was found that many of the Central sponsored schemes being taken up in the valley districts were not implemented properly", he said.

Of all the Community Health Centres in Imphal East, only one has an Ultrasound machine.

As such, people have been going to private clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres for ultrasonography, Dr Bimol said.

Moreover, it was found that tap water is still inaccessible to a large number of households and localities.

The Lok Sabha Member asserted that Manipur can develop considerably if the Central sponsored schemes are implemented properly.

Contrary to the general expectation that there would be a comprehensive debate before the Lok Sabha adopted a resolution on imposition of PR in Manipur, only one hour was given to debate the crucial agenda.

Being an MP from Manipur, I was prepared to join the debate.

It was at 2 pm on April 3 that the resolution was tabled for discussion in the Lok Sabha.

"As it was quite late with the debate on Waqf Act dragging on for hours, I requested the Lok Sabha Speaker to put the agenda of imposing PR in Manipur in the business list of another date.

The Speaker said that he would look into it", Dr Bimol recounted.

But the Speaker took the up agenda of imposing PR in Manipur at around 2 am .

"With the debate limited to just around one hour and many Opposition MPs speaking on the issue, I was not given any time to speak on the agenda", he said.

Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba too was not given any time to speak when the same resolution was tabled in the Rajya Sabha, he continued.

"I felt emotional on realising that none of the three MPs from Manipur were given any time to speak on a matter which was primarily about Manipur", Dr Bimol said.

Questioning whether the objective of SoO has been realised or not, he said that militants under SoO agreement have been engaging in rampant illegal taxation.

On account of the illegal taxes collected on the National Highway, a bag of cement which costs Rs 300 at Dimapur is sold at Rs 600 at Imphal.

It is not desirable for BJP and Congress to blame each other or trade charges regarding SoO agreement.

Rather, all concerned must question whether the Government is strictly monitoring compliance with SoO ground rules by Kuki militant groups, he said.

If Kuki militant groups violate SoO ground rules, the Government must take the matter to the Joint Monitoring Group.

There is a confusion among the people of Manipur whether SoO agreement is effective after February 29, 2024 .

Dr Bimol said that he submitted a starred question on the SoO agreement.

Names of 20 MPs are selected by draw of lots every day to raise starred questions. "On the particular day I was about to question the SoO agreement, my name was listed on the 16th position but later my name was found missing from the list of MPs who would raise starred questions.

"Apart from submitting representations twice, I raised the matter in person with the Speaker", Dr Bimol said.

A few days back, the Speaker sent a reply informing Dr Bimol that his question was removed for it was related to National security.

Although everyone has been shouting that Loktak Pat, Lamphelpat, Yaralpat, Khoidum Pat and other wetlands should be protected, none of them has been notified under the Wetland Conservation and Management Rule 2017 .

Loktak Pat which is a principal element of Manipur's identity has not been notified as a wetland, the Congress MP said.

On the Waqf Amendment Act, Dr Bimol said that the Central Government seems to be deliberately targeting Muslims.

He remarked that the Waqf Amendment Act contains provisions which are unconstitutional.

National Herald was published by Jawaharlal Nehru as a mass media of India's freedom movement.

There is no harm in working to revive a dying newspaper which was closely associated with the Nationalist movement, and there is no question of profit out of it, he said.

Cessation of exchange of firing between Kukis and Meiteis does not necessarily mean there is peace and normalcy in Manipur, Bimol said.

Soon after PR was imposed in the State, the Central Government promised that there would be free movement on National Highways but the same promise has proved to be a humiliating failure, he remarked.

National Highways are National properties and the Centre's failure to remove blockades and disturbances from National Highways is a very serious issue of governance, he said.